The Naturalist Club
by The Silent Artist
Summary: The war is over and people all over the wizarding world are able to live their lives. The Golden Trio have their careers but the return of an old friend shakes things up in more ways than one.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I don't even own the place I'm living in, I'm renting it. Damn waste of money but I get to keep my snakes, rats, lizards, and doggos so it's a trade off for now. The point is, I don't want to get sued and lose with I don't have; hence the disclaimer.**

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The war was over. The light had won. With Voldemort defeated and most of his followers either dead or locked away, there was a sigh of relief among many in the wizarding world. With the threat of the Dark Lord and his minions gone, people began to rebuild what they lost. Homes, businesses, and families. There was hopefulness about the world once again.

Time ticked by and the five year anniversary of the fall of Voldemort was quickly approaching. After the war, many people went their separate ways. Rebuilding the lost buildings, such as Hogwarts, called for many skilled witches and wizards, some wanted to get away from the destruction and bloodshed to find themselves, others set out to pick up where they left off…or start their lives over. Whichever they saw fit to do.

Even though the wary souls of battle had gone about their lives, the anniversary brought them back together every year. Minster of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, had declared the day a wizarding holiday. It was celebrated worldwide. With the holiday being just a week away, preparations were being made at Hogwarts to welcome back those that fought and protected the school from overwhelming evil.

After defeating the Dark Lord, Hermione went back to school, unlike her two best friends, and received the highest honors that Hogwarts had to offer their graduates. She was about a year behind the boys entering the workforce, but with her knowledge and heroic status, she was able to secure herself a place in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Harry, not to anyone's surprise, became and Auror. Even without finishing his education, he was welcomed warmly into the Ministry by Shacklebolt to start his training at once. Ron, who didn't want to deal with any more tests, secured himself a spot as the Keeper of a minor league Quidditch team. He soon proved himself after a year and a half and was drafted to play for Chudley Cannons.

They each had their own lives but made time to see one another at least once a week. It was usually over a butterbeer or Firewhiskey in Hogsmeade or somewhere similar. Somewhere that brought back fond memories where they could talk. Sometimes they would meet at Hagrid's hut to enjoy the company of the half giant and whatever creature he had lurking about that week. This is where Hermione found herself today.

A week from the celebration, which fell on a Friday evening, and working on more official Ministry business, Hermione gently knocked on the hut door and waited for an answer. It didn't take long for Hagrid to open up the large, creaking wooden door and smile warmly down at Hermione.

"'Mione! Good ta see ya. Where are ta boys at?" He questioned as he took a quick look around outside to see if she had company.

"Just me today Hagrid. I was wondering if you could give me some information one a few creatures and if there are any populations of them in the immediate area." She stated matter-of-factually with a smile on her face.

The war had changed a lot of people but it definitely hadn't changed Hermione much, if at all. The brunette still had soft brown hair that fell in gentle waves down her back, usually falling several inches below her shoulder blades. When she was working, like today, it was pulled back into a neat, professional bun that aged her a few years. She still had warm brown eyes that were only slightly battle worn from the years of stress that the war caused everyone. Not much had changed about her body except the style of clothing she wore. Always on the thinner side, her early twenties only filled her out a little and her constant schedule of working left her petite. Because of this her professional attire usually consisted of a knee length skirt, a sharply pressed button up shirt, and a jacket to cover her thin frame. No one would have expected the bushy haired, buck toothed, know-it-all to blossom into the well put together, professional woman that she was today.

"O course 'Mione. Come on in and 'ave a cuppa tea." The half giant said cheerfully as he moved to let her into the small hut. Hagrid made his way over to the kettle that was hanging over the fire and gingerly took it off the heat. He poured them two cups and sat them on the table that was between them. "So….what can I do fer ya?" He asked as Hermione picked up a spoon and stirred some honey into her tea.

"Well Hagrid…I was wondering if you've heard of any unusual sightings or activity nearby involving hippogriffs, centaurs, or werewolves?" Hermione asked as she opened her notebook, carefully running her finger down her notes until she came to what she was looking for.

"Well…ta be 'onest, I 'aven't heard of much going on around 'ere since the war ended. Then again, I 'aven't really 'ad to deal with things out there too much since I quit teachin'." He confessed as he took a drink of his tea. A few years ago Hagrid decided to retire from teaching. Hermione wasn't sure if it was upsetting or a godsend to any future students of his. She remembered a few times that she questioned the safety of his classes but loved the large man for his passion regardless.

"Oh yeah…speaking of that, did they ever get someone to permanently take the job? I know that they've been having issues finding someone since that herd of blast-ended skrewts got out and torched one of the greenhouses down." The witch had to stifled a chuckle as she remembered how enraged Neville had been that a summer's worth of growing had been destroyed in just a few minutes thanks to the creatures.

"Yeah, actually..." Hagrid said, smiling a little at the memory as well. "Miss Lovegood is finally back from 'er expeditions and 'as decided to take up the post."

Hermione's eyebrow cocked slightly up when she heard the news. Luna? She hadn't seen her in quite some time now. It had to have been a few years actually. The last she knew, the blonde witch was touring the wilds of Europe, Asia, and the Americas documenting magical plants and creatures with a gentleman named Rolf Scamander. They were no doubt continuing the work of Rolf's grandfather, Newt, who wrote one of their school text books.

"Did she finish her work?" She asked, setting her teacup down with a gentle tap on the wood. "I have received a lot of published works by her on my desk over the years. They've helped a lot with passing laws for magical creatures and beings due to the amount of research that she has put into them. It's actually quite amazing."

It was true that Luna's work had significantly made Hermione's life easier over the years. When dealing with magical creatures there was a stigma attached to them. Without someone willing to research into them more, it was difficult to convince those around her that they weren't as dangerous as they seemed. The works of literature published by the pair was so detailed that it was hard to refute the cognitive abilities of a lot of these creatures. This lowered their ratings with the Ministry and made laws less restrictive for them. If anything, Hermione had an extreme amount of respect for the younger witch and her time spent in the field.

After spending a little over an hour with Hagrid, Hermione bid him farewell so she could get back to work. It was a Friday evening and she wanted to finish her work so that she could spend some time with Harry and Ron that evening. They had planned to go to the Three Broomsticks for a few drinks and some catching up. A small smile crept onto her face as she thought about her two best friends. They were like family to her. Slowly her smile faded as she realized that's the only family she really had now. Between Harry and the Weasleys, that's all she had. Her parents were safe in Australia but they would never remember her. They would never know they had a daughter.

The thought pained Hermione. It pained her to think of these things but she knew it was for the best. Reaching up she wiped a few stray tears from her eyes and continued to the apparition point. There wasn't time to dwell on sad memories. They are safe and happy, and she had work to do.

With the last file neatly floating into the filing cabinet, Hermione sighed and stretched up and back in her chair with a low moan. She had been sitting there for hours finishing up any paperwork from earlier that week. Now completed, she stood and gathered her belongings and checked the time. It was 8:11pm. She was late!

Hermione cursed herself as she apparated with a pop. She felt the tug of being propelled through the landscape until she gently landed on the worn path to the Hogsmeade village. Her boots clicked on the stone as she hurried towards the Three Broomsticks where she knew her friends were waiting on her. Slightly out of breath when she reached the door, she stood up straight and walked in, trying to compose herself.

It didn't take her but a few moments to spot the flaming red hair that belonged to Ron. It seemed that just as quickly as she spotted them, the boys caught a glimpse of her. Harry raised his hand to wave at her from across the room as Hermione pushed her way through the packed pub.

"I'm so sorry I'm late guys….I got…."

"Caught up with work." The boys said in unison with broad grins on their face, much to Hermione's displeasure.

"We know you too well 'Mione." Ron said as he stood and wrapped his arms around her in a big bear hug. Hermione smiled and hugged her broad friend back, kissing her cheek lightly. Harry stood up next and hugged the brunette, picking her up off the ground, earning him a squeak of surprise.

"Put me down Harry!" She laughed; resting her hands on his shoulders as he slowly lowered her back to the ground. Taking her seat across from the boys, Hermione reached up and let her hair out of the tight bun on top of her head. "It was definitely a day. I went to see Hagrid." She told them, shaking her hair out gently so that it would fall more evenly down her back.

The boys asked how Hagrid was doing and then they fell into easy conversation about the happenings in their lives over the past week. Harry told them about the training he was undergoing at the Ministry and Ron informed them of an upcoming game (like they ever needed to be reminded) and asked if them were going to be able to come watch him play.

"You know I always come to your games, mate." Harry said, lightly slugging Ron in the arm with a grin on his face. Harry was as big of a Quidditch fan as Ron, but playing professionally wasn't his calling. Hermione smiled and looked up from the table where her hands were neatly folded.

"I'd love to Ron. What time is it again?" She asked but noticed that the red head was staring off across the room, his mouth slightly agape. "Ron?" She asked, moving to get into his view slightly. When that didn't work she picked up her hand and waved it in front of his face.

Seeing that this wasn't working, Harry put his fingers up in front of Ron and snapped his fingers a few times. "Ron…Oi. Snap out of it. What's going on?" He asked. Ron shook his head slightly and squinted his eyes tight for a moment before opening them wide.

"Guys…is that Looney Luna?" He asked, gesturing to a blonde that had just walked into the room.

While Hermione had stayed very similar looking over the past five years, some of the other students had changed. Harry looked less boyish. He sported stubble on his chin and jawline but kept it just above scruffy. He was more built from training but still lean and with shaggy black hair. Ron had bulked up considerably from Quidditch practice and had a neatly trimmed red goatee. His hair was shorter than it was in his young, aging him slightly but making him look more handsome than when he had that mop of red hair on top of his head. However much the boys had changed, it didn't compare to the change that Luna had apparently went through.

The young witch was still pale. Her skin looked like she never went out in the sun, but Hermione knew that couldn't be true since she had been examining magical creatures and plants for several years. From where they sat she looked like she was made of porcelain. Her blonde hair was still long, nearly as white as her skin, and had a gentle wave to it. Half of her length of hair fell over one of her shoulders while the other half sat behind her back. She was lithe but tone. The thing that had possibly changed her the most was the air of which she stood.

Luna had been shy, bullied, and even considered strange in Hogwarts. She always slouched slightly and seemed lost in thought. Today she stood taller, a dreamy look on her face but she seemed to know what she was looking for, or at, this time. She ditched her odd, baggy clothing and wore something more form fitting for once. She had on a tank top, blue that brought out her icy eyes, and what muggles would call 'skinny jeans.' Hermione smiled a little bit seeing that she was wearing high top Chuck Taylors that were rainbow colored. There it was….there was the Luna she remembered.

Ron was still gaping at her like a dead mackerel when Harry reached over and pushed at Ron's chin until his mouth finally closed. Shaking her head, Hermione slowly stood up and smoothed her skirt out a bit.

"I'm going to get something to drink and see if Luna wants to join us. Try to compose yourself before we get back Ronald." Hermione jest at him as she walked through the crowd of people to the young blonde witch.

Luna had slowly made her way to the bar to get a drink, getting the attention of a few men that were sitting at the bar. Hermione noticed this and raised an arched brow slightly before she focused on Luna again. Reaching out to tap Luna on the shoulder, Hermione jumped a little when she was acknowledged before she had even made her presence known.

"Hello Hermione." Luna said softly in her dazed voice. She hadn't turned around or even tilted her head towards Hermione. Pulling her hand back slowly, she held it there for a moment before dropping it at her side.

"Hey Luna! Fancy running into you here." She said with a warm smile as Luna turned around with a butterbeer in her hand. The petite blonde smiled gently at Hermione, tilting her head a bit.

"I have just returned from North America and just got myself settled into Hogwarts for the upcoming year." She told the brunette, taking a sip of her drink afterwards.

Hermione smiled at her, nodding a little. "I spoke to Hagrid today. He said that you took the Care of Magical Creatures position at Hogwarts. Congratulations." Luna didn't seem the type to want to be a professor, but Hermione knew she was extremely intelligent about the natural world around her and didn't doubt that her students would only benefit from this.

"Oh yes! I'm very excited to start." Even though the excitement was evident in her facial expressions, her voice remained gentle as a slow moving stream. "It will be nice to not move around so much for a while."

Hermione could only assume the amount of travel that Luna had done in the last few years. She nodded gently then lightly clapped her hands together and smiled. "Harry and Ron are here. Do you want to come sit with us and catch up? We would all love to hear about your adventures." She really wanted to hear about what Luna had been up to. If her adventures were even half as exciting as the creatures she wrote about Hermione was going to be extremely jealous.

"That sounds wonderful." Luna smiled back at Hermione as the brunette ordered herself a glass of wine to take back with her. The two witches waded through the crowd of people to the boys. Ron had somewhat composed himself by now but was still eyeing Luna like a hungry dog as she walked up with Hermione.

"I'm back! I got some wine and Luna has decided to join us for a bit." Sitting back down in the seat across from the boys, Luna sat next to her, scooting over until she was a few inches from Hermione. Ron was still stuck staring at Luna and Harry just watched with amusement. Giving a gentle shake of her head, Hermione turned her upper body towards Luna a bit and leaned back against the bench seat a little more. "So…how was your expedition?" Of course she wanted to hear about every single creature that Luna and Rolf had encountered, but she figured any run down she would give them would be better than the silence of Ron's gaping maw and Harry's amused stare.

Luna took a light sip of her butterbeer before setting it down on the table gently, both hands around the bottle. "It was extremely interesting and very inspiring." The blonde started, a dreamy look coming over her face. "There are so many creatures out there that are barely even discussed anymore. It's quite wonderful. And Rolf is so knowledgeable about so many of them. It really does help that he's related to Newton."

At the mention of a male figure, Ron seemingly snapped out of his daze. "Rolf? Who's Rolf? And Newton?" He questioned, his thick skull showing as usual.

"Rolf is my partner and Newton is his grandfather." Luna began, taking another drink of her beverage. "He is actually supposed to stop by before he heads out for Australia." She told them, her light blue eyes now scanning the crowd gently.

"Partner? Like…just for the tr…." Ron was cut off as Luna's smile widened slightly and a tall, lean man walked over to them. He had sandy blonde hair that looked sun bleached in spots and a bridge of freckles dotting from under one eye, over the bridge of his nose, and under the other eye. He had large hands that were clumsy as he wrapped his arms around Luna's waist, picking up the much smaller witch. Luna's smile made her face scrunch up, her nose crinkling slightly as she hugged Rolf back with her arms around his neck.

"There you are. This place is packed and you're so small…I never thought I would find you." Rolf boomed, laughing awkwardly as he sat Luna back down on the ground. Hermione looked up at the man and offered him a smile and her hand to shake when he looked her way. She introduced herself then turned to the boys. Harry stood up and shook Rolf's hand, introducing himself. Ron, on the other hand, looked dumbfounded for a moment before offering his hand to the tall man. He didn't stand but looked a little disappointed as he introduced himself. Hermione gave a sad half smile to her ginger friend but turned her attention back to Luna who was still standing.

"Well I'm going to get heading out now. It's going to take a while to track down Ogres and make peace with them. If you don't hear from me for a while you might check in." He ended with a booming laugh as he reached down to pull Luna into another bear hug. The petite witch hugged him back tight and turned her head to kiss his cheek softly.

"Just be careful and remember to watch out for Nargles." Luna warned him as they broke apart. Waving goodbye to everyone, Rolf walked out of the crowded tavern as Luna sat back down. No one said anything for a few moments as she sipped her butterbeer until Harry finally cleared his throat gently and looked back to Luna.

"He seems like a nice guy." He offered, glancing slightly sideways to the heartbroken Ron who was staring into his Firewhiskey.

"He is. Very knowledgeable about magical creatures as well. Rolf got us out of many worrisome situations." Luna's gentle smile returned as she spoke about the man that just left. Harry glanced up to Hermione and raised a brow slightly. Ron had already conceded that the two were in a relationship but both Harry and Hermione wondered what kind of person it would take to put up with Luna and her strange magical creatures that she saw.

Ron excused himself after draining the rest of his drink, heading back up to the bar. He always took things so hard…even when there was nothing to be upset about. Harry excused himself to go get another drink, taking his empty glass with him.

"How has Ministry work been?" Luna asked thoughtfully as she turned to look over to Hermione. She assumed that Luna either put it together that she worked at the Ministry because of her clothing choice or because she had read it in the paper.

"It's nice. A lot of busy work but I think we are making headway. With Shacklebolt as Minister things are really starting to progress. Also I have you to thank for a lot of my work getting through as quickly as it has." The blonde eyes widened, ever so slightly, before returning back to their soft, dreamy state.

"What do you mean by that Hermione?" She asked, curious about how she could have impacted anything at the Ministry while being gone for the better part of four years.

Taking a drink of her wine, Hermione smiled and gently exhaled. "The work that Rolf and yourself were publishing really showed the wizarding world a different side of these magical creatures and beings. Many of them had their ratings dropped so that they weren't as widely feared or regulated. They have you two to thank for that."

Luna looked thoughtful for several moments, her gaze turning to the nearly empty bottle in her hand. "Well it was very enjoyable. I am very happy that some good came from it." Hermione could almost sense something distant in Luna. Before she could say anything else, Harry and Ron returned with fresh drinks.

For the rest of the evening the four conversed amongst one another. They spent time talking about some of Luna's adventures as well as some of the training that Harry and Ron had been doing lately. Ron even took the opportunity to invite Luna to watch his next game as his special guest. Hermione rolled her eyes at this. He was persistent if he was nothing else. As the night grew old the tavern started to empty out and Hermione looked at her watch, trying to hold back a yawn. It was nearly one in the morning.

"I hate to run but I am going to try to get some work done at home in the morning." Hermione stated as she started to gather her things. The boys rolled their eyes and mumbled something about 'typical Hermione' before getting up to give her boys a tight hug. "Same time next week…but I'll actually be on time." She chuckled softly.

Luna stood as well, picking her bag up off the bench. "I should get back to Hogwarts. Headmistress McGonagall wants to speak to me tomorrow about a few things." The blonde stretched towards the ceiling, her back popping a few times from sitting so long.

The two women walked out of the Three Broomsticks and started to walk towards the apparition point. They walked in comfortable silence before Hermione let out a long breath she had been holding. "It was nice seeing you tonight. I'm glad you made it back from your travels safely."

Luna looked forward still but smiled dreamily, almost skipping as she walked. "It was lovely to see Harry, Ronald, and yourself as well. It is nice to be back." She said in her sweet voice.

"If you're not too busy planning for the upcoming school year, I would love to talk to you more in depth about your exploits and the creatures you came in contact with." Hermione was hopeful that Luna would grant her an audience to hear about exploration. It seemed like she got some really amazing information on the creatures she has been studying. The encounters had to be a fantastic experience.

"As long as the Nargles don't steal my journals I would be happy to Hermione." The blonde smiled to the slightly taller witch as they reached their destination. "Good luck on your work tomorrow. If I can be of any assistance please let me know."

It hit Hermione just then that she actually did require Luna's help. She had been so wrapped up in seeing her friend and spending time with the boys that she almost forgot. "Actually I do need some help! If you're free at all this weekend I could really use your help trying to track some creature activity around Hogwarts. I went to Hagrid but he told me that he wasn't much help and that I should ask you."

Luna looked distant for a moment, like she was staring off into another galaxy. She seemed to come back just as quickly as she left. "Yes. I can do that. I will owl you after I meet with Headmistress McGonagall to give you a time estimate." Hermione smiled and clapped her hands together like a young school girl showing her excitement.

"This is fantastic. Thank you so much Luna!" Reaching out, she wrapped her arms around Luna and pulled her into a tight embrace. For a split second she felt Luna tense before returning the hug, wrapping her arms around the brunette's neck.

"It is no trouble at all. I am happy to help." Giving Hermione one last soft smile, she bid her a good evening and apparated back to Hogwarts. Grinning from ear to ear, Hermione disappeared with a pop and reappeared in her flat. Hopefully these laws would get passed quicker than she thought. With Luna's help and her research they would have to be fools to ignore the facts.

Hermione wandered to her bedroom and stripped her work clothes off easily, sliding on some comfortable flannel pajama pants and a cotton tank top before brushing her teeth and heading to bed. She thought briefly about grabbing the novel on her bedside table and reading a chapter or two but her eyes slowly closed before she could consider the thought more. Maybe she was getting to old for staying up this late. The thought stopped there as she fell into an easy sleep.

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 **Author's Note: Welp that's the first chapter. Nothing too exciting, just getting some basics out of the way. I don't have a Beta and haven't written anything in about a literal Dumbledore's age so forgive my typos and things you may find wrong (I also suffer from dyslexia, I apologize lol). Let me know what you think and I'll hopefully have more for you guys soon :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I don't even own the place I'm living in, I'm renting it. Damn waste of money but I get to keep my snakes, rats, lizards, and doggos so it's a trade off for now. The point is, I don't want to get sued and lose with I don't have; hence the disclaimer.**

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Despite the fact that Hermione had turned in late the night before, she was wide awake with a cup of coffee sitting next to her at her desk. Still in her pajamas, the brunette went about her morning the same as any other. Even though she didn't have to be at work today, she still wanted to get some of her overflowing workload taken care of. Her boss had even discouraged it in the past, since she was off the clock, but a little thing like clocking in and out wasn't going to stop her from overachieving at her job.

This wasn't like some school assignment that she was trying to receive the top grade on. Her work could literally mean life or death for certain magical creatures. Since her days at Hogwarts, knitting clothes for the house elves, she had a very real passion for the underestimated and overlooked creatures and beings of the magical world. Sometimes her heart would break at the situations and other times a fire would rise up in her that would have stopped Voldemort in his tracks and made him rethink his actions. There had been more than one occasion where a collective sigh could be heard in the room when Hermione walked in to state her case and the facts behind it. It almost always involved missing their regularly scheduled lunch.

As she tucked herself into the large office chair at her desk, she heard a soft tap on the window beside her. Lifting her head up slightly, she glanced at a small grey owl that was lightly dancing on her window sill. Leaning over just enough to open the window, Hermione settled back down in her chair completely as the tiny owl hopped over to her. It sat next to her coffee, holding its leg out for her so that she could take the note.

Smiling gently at the owl, she gingerly reached out and untied the letter from its leg. Once it was released of its duty, Hermione opened the top desk drawer and got a few small treats out for the little grey and sat them on her desk in front of it. As it pecked away at the treats, Hermione opened the letter and let her eyes dart across the parchment.

It was from Luna. She raised a brow slightly and looked at her clock. It was just a few minutes before six in the morning. Shrugging to herself, she let her eyes scan the note again.

 _Hermione Granger,  
If you would like to join me for lunch today, I would be more than happy to share any information with you that may be helpful._

 _Kindest Regards,  
Luna Lovegood_

Sitting against the back of her chair more for a moment, she read over the note once more before leaning forward to grab some parchment and a quill to respond. The little owl continued to peck away at the last bits of the food that Hermione had provided, all too happy to enjoy the break it was receiving after the long flight.

 _Luna,_

 _It's great to hear from you so soon. Lunch sounds lovely. I'll meet you at your office. I'm sure someone will point me in the right direction when I get there._

See you very soon!

 _Hermione_

As the ink dried the owl lightly hopped over Hermione and hooted softly. She smiled gently at it and reached over to lightly pet it on top of its head. As her fingers stroked its soft feathers it bobbed gently and gave another small hoot.

"Think you're ready to fly this back to Luna?" Hermione asked the little creature as she started folding the letter up. The owl hopped around for a few moments before sticking its leg out for her. The brunette gently, but securely, tied the letter to the owl's dainty leg and gave it another scratch on the head before letting it take flight out the window.

The rest of the morning went fairly uneventfully. Hermione sat at her desk for several more hours, pouring over stacks of paperwork for new laws that she was proposing to the Ministry in the coming months. Sighing softly, she stretched towards the ceiling and looked over at the clock. It was nearly eleven at this point and she knew she really needed to get ready for lunch with Luna.

After showering, brushing her teeth, and drying her hair, Hermione dressed comfortably in a pair of jeans and a Chudley Cannons t-shirt (thanks Ron). A few minutes of debating on what to do with her hair, she just decided to leave it down today since she was already running a bit behind, as usual. Grabbing her wand from the desk, the brunette did a quick once over of her flat before disappearing with a soft pop to the front gates of Hogwarts.

Even with the reconstruction that the school had to go through it still looked identical to when she first stepped foot on the grounds. A small smile crept to her face as she walked along the well-worn path towards the large oak doors of the castle. Climbing the stairs, she still felt the same childlike wonder that she had when she was a first year. The same feeling came back every year she attended Hogwarts. The learning, her friends, magic, everything really…it was so fantastic and she had craved it as she grew.

Now she was back in the ancient halls of the castle. Her shoes making soft taps against the stone on the floor as she walked towards a flight of stairs. She had no idea where Luna's office would be. Hagrid had always just used his hut as his office and she hadn't really known anyone after him that taught the position. Regardless, her Gryffindor determination took her to an open classroom door where she heard a few voices. Hermione slowly popped her head around the door frame to see who was inside, giving a gentle knock on the door as she did.

McGonagall was standing at the head of the classroom, going over something with, who Hermione could only assume was, a new professor. Offering them both a smile, the brunette witch moved into the doorway more now. "Hello Headmistress. Sorry to interrupt…I was just wondering if you could point me in the direction of Luna's office. I'm supposed to meet her there."

"Oh, yes dear. She's just down the hall, up two flights of stairs to the right. Fourth door on the left." McGonagall offered a smile to Hermione as she pointed towards the direction she needed to go. "It's good to see you back in the castle again Miss Granger."

Hermione bid both the Headmistress and the professor goodbye before heading towards Luna's office. Lightly jogging up two sets of stairs, Hermione walked down the long corridor at a relaxed pace. She counted in her head as she passed each door until she stood in front of the fourth one. It was open about half way so Hermione walked in and let her eyes flicker along the edges of the office.

It was a lot tidier than she expected it to be for Luna's space. It wasn't that the blonde witch was messy; she just didn't seem like someone who organized things the same as everyone else. There were a few stacks of books on a table to the left of the door, a couple of cabinets where along the next wall, and there was a strange potted plant sitting in the window opposite the door that drew Hermione to it. It was small but shimmered in an iridescent pattern as the sun hit it. Cocking her head slightly, she examined the plant so closely that she jumped with a start when she heard a voice beside her.

"Hello Hermione Granger." The shorter blonde witch said.

Hermione had jumped to the side, her hand coming to her chest as she sucked in a few panicked breaths. "Oh….hey there, Luna." She gasped, standing up straight now. "Sorry, the door was open so I kind of walked on in." She told her, pointing towards the door as though it emphasized her point.

"That is quite alright." Luna said with a dreamy smile as she stared down at the plant that Hermione had been closely observing. "It's lovely isn't it?" She said, reaching out to lightly touch one of the shimmering leaves. The leaf retracted into the thick stem quickly, a thorn appearing in its place. "It's from Brazil. There is no modern name for it yet but a tribe named it something that is loosely translates to the Dogman Vine."

Watching the plant transform, Hermione's gaze went from the thorn back to Luna before resting on the plant once more. "Why is it called that?" She asked, as she was always one to seek knew knowledge.

"It resembles the glow of moonlight but during nightfall, or if disturbed, it retracts its leaves and becomes a thorn covered vine." Luna explained as she touched another leaf gently. Once again the leaf disappeared back into the trunk of the plant and a large thorn took its place.

"So….Dogman like….a werewolf?" The brunette asked, looking back over to Luna now. Luna gave a slow nod before looking back to Hermione, giving her another soft smile. Turning back towards her desk, Luna walked up to the sturdy oak furniture and hopped up on it, sitting on the edge.

Taking one last look at the plant, Hermione turned towards Luna and leaned against the wall. In awe of the plant, she hadn't taken the blonde's appearance in. It seemed that her style at the bar wasn't just a random fluke. She was once again dressed in skinny jeans, black ones this time, and a light green tank top that clung to her thin frame. The rainbow Chucks were the only thing that made the whole outfit…well, a little loony.

"What was it you wanted to talk about, Hermione Granger?" Luna asked as she swung her rainbow clad feet back and forth like a small child. Looking up from those shoes, Hermione seemed to snap out of her thoughts to actually remember why she was there.

Standing up straight again, Hermione clapped her hands together in front of her in a 'let's get to it' gesture. "Right. I stopped to talk to Hagrid about happenings in the Forbidden Forest but he referred me to you on that matter. I am actually trying to find any active sightings of centaurs, hippogriffs, or werewolves. They're high on my list of creatures to aid since Shacklebolt has become Minister." Hermione smiled at the idea of helping lower the ratings of these mostly misunderstood creatures. The lower their ratings the more likely the common wizarding population would bypass them and leave them alone instead of immediately engaging in combat with them.

For several moments Luna looked thoughtful. She appeared zoned out as her head slowly turned to look out the window towards the forest in question. Several long moments passed them by before Luna looked back to Hermione. "There is still a small herd of centaurs in the forest. They are a little apprehensive after the war."

Hermione nodded, her gaze had also fallen to the forest but stayed there as she received the information from Luna. "Do you think there would be any hope for me to communicate with them? I would really like to be able to understand them better and help them become less threatened by the wizarding population."

"I am not sure. If you would like, I could ask them for you. They seem to be like some of the students back when I attended Hogwarts. They tolerate me." Luna smiled again. It was said as a joke but the memory of how their fellow classmates treated Luna still bothered Hermione deeply. She had called her loony a few times and regretted it but the blonde quickly forgave those who wronged her and was dependable to a fault.

"That would be fantastic. I just really want to help them. They shouldn't have such a negative stigma." Hermione told her, looking back towards Luna now.

"The Hippogriffs will be migrating soon. Most likely to France." To this Hermione raised her eyebrow slightly.

"Why France?" She asked, curious as to why they would pick somewhere like France to migrate to. Luna shrugged her shoulders a little, the dreamy smile still on her face.

"For some reason they like France. It is quite lovely. Have you been?" The conversation as derailed as quickly as it started. Hermione smiled and shook her head, crossing her arms over her midsection a bit as she leaned back against the wall once more.

"Unfortunately I haven't had much free time to travel. But someday…maybe I'll go see it for myself. Maybe take a three day weekend to see some sights." Always one to work herself to the bone, Hermione thought that taking a three day weekend was a full on vacation.

Luna's smile slowly went flat as she looked back to Hermione. "You should really take some time to yourself, Hermione. After all we've been through; a break from all the paperwork and red tape will really help you heal."

While it was true that Hermione had not taken much time to herself since the war ended, she found Luna's comment a bit…unsettling? Maybe because it hit her so hard that she really did not take time to herself to heal. After the war she immediately helped rebuild and bring families back together, she jumped back into school without hesitation, and from there she worked her way up the ladder at the Ministry to help magical creatures and beings. The most time to herself she ever took was when she would attend one of Ron's games or go see the guys at the pub for a drink on their weekly get together. Even then the time really wasn't just to herself. Hermione constantly thought about work and the next project she wanted to propose. The war had taken a lot from everyone but Hermione wasn't ready to stop and think of herself just yet. She still had things to do before she would let that wall crumble.

"The faster I accomplish these projects the faster I can get myself to France to enjoy a nice lengthy vacation then." The brunette said with a smile on her face, almost begging her friend not to worry about her work ethic.

It seemed to have worked a bit, because Luna got the dreamy look back on her face as she glanced back out the window again. "Werewolves will be a little harder to track down but I am sure that I can find out the numbers in the forest, if there are any."

"That would be great…but please be careful. I remember some of our encounters in the forest weren't that…safe." Hermione chuckled a little, remember all the danger they encountered in the forest. Something told Hermione that Luna was able to take care of herself in the forest. One doesn't travel the world and see what Luna and Rolf did without knowing how to handle themselves.

"Don't worry Hermione, Rolf and I have developed an understanding with many of the more common magical creatures. I am sure that things will go smoothly. Or at least with minimal conflict." Smiling at Hermione, the blonde hopped off the desk and slightly ran her hand over the finished surface. It was hard to believe that she became a professor. After all the traveling she did, Hermione thought the idea of settling somewhere for a while would be boring. Maybe traveling the world got boring. Though she couldn't see that being an issue, she didn't have the same frame of mind as Luna did. No one did for that matter.

"Are you ready to get something to eat now?" Luna asked. As if on cue, Hermione's stomach let out a low growl. It was just past one in the afternoon at this point.

Her cheeks reddened a bit as she rubbed her stomach. "Yeah that sounds like a good idea. I was running a bit behind." _As usual_. She thought the last bit to herself as she slipped her hand under her long, brown hair to rub the back of her neck now.

Hopping forward, Luna reached out and grabbed Hermione's free hand and started skipping towards the door of her office. "Let's get going then." She said cheerfully as the brunette staggered at first then jogged lightly to keep up with the overactive Ravenclaw. Laughing a bit, she just shook her head as they made their way down to the Great Hall for lunch.

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 **A/N:** Sorry for the long wait. I've been working a lot and I actually broke my finger in Karate and it makes it very hard to type. I was going to add more to this chapter but figured I would save it for the next or start off somewhere else. I think I drone one sometimes with small details because I want to put everything that's in my head down, no matter if it's useless information or not.

Lupinsspawn90: If you're still reading about and want to beta, please do contact me about it :) I could always use another set of eyes on my writing since I usually stick to research papers.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I don't even own the place I'm living in, I'm renting it. Damn waste of money but I get to keep my snakes, rats, lizards, and doggos so it's a trade off for now. The point is, I don't want to get sued and lose with I don't have; hence the disclaimer.**

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It was always strange sitting in the Great Hall when it wasn't filled with students. She still remembered the first time she sat down at the Gryffindor table with her fellow housemates and stared in awe at everything before her. Growing up in a muggle upbringing, magic is something that can only be dreamed about. It was always usually small things that everyone always lusted after. Flight without planes, getting rich, power; but when one actually came into the magical world it was hard enough just to learn the basics. All those thoughts about getting rich off of magic shows or becoming all powerful quickly escaped when you had to write a three foot essay on pixies or brew the most basic of potions for the first time.

Now she sat here, a graduate with the highest honors Hogwarts had to offer, a steady job that she loved, and…well that's all she needed. Right? She was making the world a better place for magical creatures one law at a time. Maybe she was putting too much effort into this. She didn't really have a life outside of work. Even her weekly meetings with the guys were starting to get shorter and shorter as she stayed later and later at work. Then there were her parents.

Deep in thought, Hermione had speared a bit of potato salad with her fork but it had remained in the same position the entire time her mind race. Tines pressed through the food and against the plate while her hand slightly held into the handle; eyes staring down at her plate. Regardless of how daydreamy Luna could be, she noticed the lack of movement and silence from the brunette witch and slowly turned her gaze upwards towards her.

"Are you ok in there, Hermione Granger?" She asked, staring at Hermione from across the table. Slowly, Hermione came to with a gentle shake of her head and turned her brown eyes towards the other witch.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Just thinking about work and stuff." She wasn't lying, but she wasn't telling the full truth either. There was a lot on her mind since the war, but it was easier to repress it and move on than to talk about it. Who wanted to remember those times? It was dark and horrible. Everyone was on edge and wondering if there was going to even be a tomorrow.

Luna seemed to accept the answer that Hermione gave and put another bite of food into her mouth, chewing slowly as her eyes trailed towards the large window behind the brunette. Turning back to her food herself, Hermione ate the potato salad that lingered on her fork. Her mind was blank for a few moments. A rarity but refreshing at the same time. She was so zoned out that she almost missed the question that Luna asked her.

"What made you decide to work for the Ministry?" The blonde was looking at her again. Hermione sat her fork down on the plate and wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"Well…I guess it just seemed to make sense. I'm really passionate about equality for everyone and the Ministry is a good job with a lot of room for advancement." She stated matter-of-factly to Luna as she folded her napkin up and placed it next to her plate. The second reason was more of a cop out answer. Sure, there was room for advancement but she had been offered a slew of other jobs. She had her pick of everything from teaching to healing to being an Auror like the guys.

"I think the job suits you, Hermione Granger. It's good for you to be able to take time to slow down and not be on the run all the time." Maybe Luna was right. The job did provide her with the ability to slow down and not exert herself so much. The fact that she did was her own fault. Perhaps she really did dive too deep into her work for some reason. That vacation may need to come quicker than she thought.

"You were right there with us though. The whole time. Running for your life. What made you want to go off and explore the world after all that?" Hermione asked, leaning forward with a spark of interest in her eyes. She often wondered what it would be like to just take off and explore the world; to see the wonders and enjoy the culture of new lands.

Luna wiped her mouth with her napkin and sat it aside, taking a sip of water before she started. "I guess I wanted to see what was out there. We have so many wonderful creatures and plants here but there are so many more to see. It's amazing, you know? To be able to spend time out in nature without having somewhere to be or something to do. Just to enjoy it for what it is. So many things are missed because we rush through life. I just wanted to take some time to slow everything down and find that inner peace again."

As she spoke, her eyes lit up and her mouth curved into a large, dreamy smile. Hermione couldn't help but smile back as her friend showed such passion for something that she held close to her heart. It was endearing when she got to see someone speak about what they loved. "That sounds like a wonderful thing to do. Find inner peace, that is." Hermione knew she still had weight on her shoulders from even before the war. So much had happened but she would rather not deal with it. Not unless she absolutely had to.

"It was. It was very freeing. I learned so much from Rolf. He is very knowledgeable about magical creatures." Luna's smile broadened slightly and it made Hermione raise a brow, a smile forming on her lips again.

"So…is there any reason you chose to bring Rolf with you on your expedition?" The brunette witch pried a bit. Luna's smile didn't waver as she laid her chin on her close fist, still looking at Hermione.

"He was the most knowledgeable person I could find to go with me. His grandfather is Newton Scamander after all." Hermione's brow raised again as she laid her own chin on the palm of her hand, elbow resting on the table.

"So not because you fancy him or anything?" While Hermione wasn't one for gossip, it had been a bit strange to see Luna showing affection to someone. Normal affection, that is. Not her unique, carefree whimsy that she often showed to her friends.

This question didn't faze Luna in the least. She was still looking over to Hermione with the same far off look on her face. "Fancy Rolf Scamander?" She asked, but it was a rhetorical question. "Not at all. He is a valued researcher and capable travel companion. He is also great company and plays several native instruments that I had never heard of before. I also don't fancy men that much, to be honest."

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 **A/N:** I'm extremely sorry it takes me so long to update. I've been working a lot and have karate a few nights a week and have been working on finding a house to rent (I found one!). Basically just getting really busy but I'll leave you all with this little chapter of not much of anything. Hope you enjoy. :)


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